janilye on Family Tree Circles

It certainly pays to take the time to ask the old locals "What was it like?"
These are the recollections of Alfred Smith of Richmond in New South Wales, which hold a wealth of valuable family history.
Alfred was born in Hobartville, New South Wales (when old William Cox owned it), on the 13 July 1831 to John Smith 1798-1833 a convict who drowned in a river near Liverpool in 1833 and Adelaide Eliza De La Thoreza 1808-1877 she had been born in Madrid. After John Smith died, at 15 months of age, Alfred was adopted by George JAMES 1768-1862 and his wife Ann Kelly 1789-1864. They had only one girl, Eliza JAMES 1824-1862 ( the mother of Ann ONUS 1841-1927) Alfred died on 24 December 1917.
On the 11 October 1854 at St.Matthew's Catholic Church, Windsor, Alfred married Ann Amelia KINSELA 1838-1917 the daughter of Martin KINSELA 1793-1860 and Ellen, nee HENDLING 1794-1862. Alfred had many jobs throughout his lifetime, including Town Stockman, running The Punt across the river and a Drover, droving throughout New South Wales and as far down as Victoria.

Below is part of Alfred SMITH's recollections which were Chronicled by Robert FARLOW, which began when Alfred was 78, in November 1909 and published in The Windsor Richmond Gazette, under the heading,
Some Ups and Downs of an old Richmondite, Mr. Alfred Smith

"Adjoining old Mr Roberts' place, at the back, was Wiltshirehurst. Here Mr Wiltshire lived for a while when I first went to the punt. Then George Case rented it. He farmed a little, and dealt largely in sheet stringy bark.Coming along we had Peter Hornery living. He owned the place he lived on. He had been a bricklayer, but could not follow the trade on account of being a cripple for many years. William Maughan bought the land from Peter Hornery, except the little piece on which Hornery lived. Maughan lived there for some time while he was droving. Next was William John, father of Mrs Robert Pitt and Mrs John McQuade. Mrs John was a great butter maker. Next to Mr John's was Mr Kingswood. He owned the property. Richard Gow (father of the popular Frank, who was a large produce dealer in Richmond years ago) lived with the Kingswood's, was married to the only daughter. He grew a great quantity of maize. The Kingswoods and Gows left Kurrajong a good while before I left the punt, and went to live down on Griffiths' old farm. A man named Rich went to live in the place at Kurrajong. He was a shoemaker but didn't work at the trade in Kurrajong, though I remember him working at it in Richmond. He grew potatoes and vegetables and took them to Richmond and Windsor. Ad joining this property was Tom Jones' — "Kingswood's Tom " as he was generally known. He was father to Mrs Thomas Stanford and Mrs Thomas Brown. He grew a lot of fine oaten hay. Mrs Jones would never ride in a cart, and I often wondered why. One day I asked her, and she told me Mrs Stanford, mother of Mr Tom Stanford, and herself were driving home in a cart once and capsized in the rough road and Mrs Stanford was killed. The next farm belonged to the Gilligans. James Leavers, father of Harry, rented it, and lived there. He did some farming, and with his two horses and dray took his produce and wattle bark to town. Leavers met with an accident by his horse running into a tree which stood in the road opposite Thomas John's place. Leavers was well liked. Harry was born some three weeks after his father's death. Old Mrs Leavers left there after her husband's death, and went to Richmond to live. Edward Mitchell, father of the present Robert in Kurrajong, lived on the Comleroy and owned the property he lived on He had six bullocks and a dray and drew a considerable quantity of wattle bark to town. Mrs Mitchell made a lot of butter. She was a sister to John Lord, who lived many years in Yarramundi. She was a great step-dancer, Mr Mitchell was coming home from Penrith one night, and told me he got a great fright coming down Crowley's lane. He declared he saw Andy Farrell's wife, who had been dead some time. He was perfectly sober, and whether it was imagination or a reality, he was quite upset over it. _ Close to Mitchell's, Denny McCabe lived. He married a daughter of Edward Mitchell. Denny McCabe was a king among bark. He was a jolly fellow and a great step-dancer. The last time I saw him was at Mr. A Towns station, near Boggabri, where he was fencing. It was Christmas time, and we spent a good time together. Some of his sons are still in the Kurrajong. Below Mitchell's property George Turner lived on some property belonging to Thomas John. He did a little farming and made grass-tree brooms. Then we had Mr Parker living on the Comleroy Road somewhere handy to the present Methodist Church. He did some farming, and with his one horse and cart took his maize and potatoes to town. There were some old hands scattered about the locality worthy of mention. John Williams—"Blackjack" they used to call him — lived by himself, being a single man. He was a hard working man and took bark, etc., to town with his one horse and cart. George Turner was another great man among the bark. He married Sarah, a daughter of Edward Mitchell.
Robert Eather, father of the late Abe Eather who lived many years in Richmond, lived on the Comleroy. He owned a station on the Narran. The four sons were Thomas, Robert, James and Abe. Mr and Mrs Robert Eather died at Comleroy. After their death Jim lived there for some time. Mr and Mrs John Norris lived close by the Eather's. Norris was killed on the property. Mr Coleman lived near the Norris family. He was a fencer, but did a little farming. Cornelius McMahon can be reckoned among the old hands. He married a daughter of John Norris. I knew them both before they thought of getting married. Then we had Bill London — ' Bill the native,' as they used to call him. Some of his children are still in the Kurra jong. Mr Murray was another old hand. Richard Skuthorp, father of our present Richard, was another I knew well. His wife was a daughter of John Ezzy. It was old Mr Skuthorp who first brought the racehorse Veno to the district, having purchased him from Mr William Clarke, who managed Bomera for years for Mr A. Town. Mr and Mrs Lamrock, parents of the late William and John, lived up Kurrajong, and I don't think they ever missed a fine Sunday going to the Presbyterian Church in Richmond. Having had a fair say about the old hands in Kurrajong we will now proceed to Colo. There wasn't a very great number of people living there in my early times, but among them were some who should not be forgotten. Colo has seen the time when it could boast of its police man. I knew two that were stationed at Colo. Curry was one. He used to visit George James. He was a tall man with sandy hair. He used to look very well in his black "bell topper". Jim Hunt was another policeman there. He was a short man and dark complexion. Mr and Mrs Cavanough kept a boarding-house down there for many years. The house was noted for its good table, and as it stood. on the Kurrajong side of the river Mr Cavanough used to help the drovers with their sheep and cattle up "the rock." Cavanough did some farming, and grew a lot of maize. They both died at Colo, the old man dying first. I knew their sons Tom, George and Jim very well. Tom was on the railway for some years in Richmond and was very popular. The last time I saw Jim was at Jerry's Plains, many years ago. William Penton, the blacksmith, who is still alive, living at North Richmond, lived for many years in Colo and I believe his family are natives of there. He lived up under the mountain on the other side of the river. He worked at his trade and did good business. There were plenty of drover's horses to be shod. He became a road contractor and carried out some big jobs on the Bulga road. His wife, was Miss Lucy Lord, but in no way related to John Lord, of Yarra mundi, There were a lot of the Gospers at Colo. Mrs Cavanough and Mrs Ivery were Gospers. I knew Robert Gosper. The late John Gosper, of Windsor, was, I believe, a native of Colo, also Henry. He kept an accommodation house at "The Gibber," It was a good place to stay at. Harry Gosper was a real friend of the drovers. If ever they lost a beast and it was to be found, Harry would get it for them. I have often heard him spoken of hundreds of miles up country, and always referred to as honest Harry Gosper. Of course there were others living up the river, but as I never went far off the road I didn't see much of them. Among them I knew Mr Caterson. I knew his son, the present Thomas, and his wife, who was Miss Grace Richardson, before they were married. Getting along from "The Gibber ' we soon get to Putty. Among the good old sorts out there were Mr Robert Ridge and his wife, He grew a lot of maize, and did droving. Mrs Ridge was post mistress, and kept an accommodation house. You could also get rations there. Mr Ridge had a mill and ground his own flour. Mrs Ridge was a sister to Mrs George Pitt and Mrs. John Crowley. Then we had Thomas Laycock and his wife. Mrs Laycock was a sister to George and Robert Pitt. I knew their sons Thomas, Andrew, Henry, George and Robert. They were always great cattle men. Andrew for many years before his death was a noted breeder of stud cattle, and was always a prominent exhibitor at the Sydney show. The eldest boy was a great pig raiser and used to drive his flocks of swine to market. Bob was killed from his horse. Thomas Laycock did a lot of droving, and bought stock for Sydney men. He was a horse fancier as well, and owned some well bred mares. At Bourawell we had Charles Sympton managing the place belonging to Mr William Farlow, senr., of Yarramundi, and also looking after Boggy swamp for the same man. I remember Mr Farlow giving me £40 to pay Davy Hayman who was fencing out there for him. Charley was there a good while. Mr Farlow did some cultivation out there. Mr and Mrs Chapman lived at Putty on a place they bought from old Stephen Tuckerman, Their son George is still out there and seems to be doing well.
The first gaoler I remember in Windsor was a Mr Steele. He was a tall man. Mr North was the first police magistrate, and lived at old Government House, Windsor, in my early days. How I came to know a little about early Windsor, was by going with my foster father, then a policeman, on court days. What I will say about Windsor must be taken as Meaning my early recollections of that place. There was what we always knew as the watch box. This stood between the court house and the gaol wall. It was a little movable place of weatherboards. The watch box, I believe, used to be occupied by soldiers in turn, to prevent any prisoners escaping out of gaol. Then we had the flogging period in Windsor, and I knew Reuben Bullock who administered the lash. When flogging was done away with in the Haw kesbury Bullock, kept a public house. Reuben was a thin man of medium height, and although his former occu pation was not the pleasantest, he was well liked. He was of a pleasant disposition and very obliging. He was generally called "Little Bullock."

The first chief constable I have any recollections of was a Mr Hodgins. He had son Benjamin, who used to knock about Charlie Eather's over at Enfield. 'He had a daughter Ann. She was a tall, buxom young woman, and married a man named Bill Allsop. She has been dead many years. The next chief constable was Moses Chapman, a Jew I believe. He was mostly known as "Mo the Jew." He was a short stout man and a smart little chap at his work. He was well liked. Then I mind George Jilks, another chief constable, and his wife, one son, and two daughters. He was a man who was highly respected. The daughters, Kitty and Jane, would take it in turns and come and stay a few days with the James' at Richmond. His son George was then but a lad going to school. Mr Jilks lived where Mr W. McQuade is living. George Shirley was another chief constable. He was a stout man, with a very flushed face. After him was William Hobbs, who was the last chief constable in charge of Windsor before we got our sergeants. We start our sergeants with a Mr Frewin. He was an Irishman. He wasn't in Windsor a great while. The first lockup keeper I knew there was John Horan. This was when the lockup was where the Council Chambers stand. I remember one day, in Horan's time, we had been into court, and were starting for home in the cart when I happened to look round and noticed two men with a man on the ground. I told James about it and he drove up to them. It was two police men with a prisoner who wouldn't get up and they couldn't make him move. As soon as James came up it was "Here George give us a hand.'" James had a quince stick in his hand and gave him a few smart cuts with it on a portion of his body, which made him jump up quickly enough. The first C.P.S. I knew there was a Mr Wyatt, in Mr North's time. He was a tall man. Then as a C.P.S. there we had Mr Callaway, "little Callaway" they used to call him. Then there was Mr G. A. Gordon, who was C.P.S. for many years. Mr Gordon was father of Mrs Brinsley Hall, and died recently. He was a Police Magistrate up country for a few years when he retired. Then there was old Mr J. J. Fitzpatrick, father of Mr J. C. L Fitzpatrick, M.LA., who spent many years in old Windsor. In the corner by the old Fitzroy bridge there was a large two storey place which was kept as a pub by a man named Thomas Cross. He was a very big man. I remember this same pub being kept by Mrs. Aspery, who was mother to the late Mrs M. Nowland. Her son, Thomas, who was killed at Denman by lightning, used to serve in the bar. Nearly opposite the barracks there was a pub kept by John Shearin — "Jack the baker," as he was called. He left there and built the two storey place opposite the court house where he kept a pub for a long while. Jack died there, and his widow kept the business on for some time after his death. I remember ihe 26th, 50th, 8oth and 99th regiments being in the old Windsor barracks at different times. The present Royal Hotel used to be what we always knew as the mess house. Robert Fitzgerald lived there for a long time, and was living there at the time of the first election when he was a candidate against William Bowman Quite close to the barracks, only in Macquarie-street, there was the old "Jim Crow" inn. It was kept by Henry Hudson. He dealt a lot in horses. He had two stallions, Jim Crow, a trotter, and Clinker, a draught. He imported both of them. He died there. His widow kept the pub a while after his death, and then married James Lane. Lane kept the pub for a while. She was a native of Richmond, a sister of our Henry Silk, and I knew her before she was married to Henry Hudson, who came from Birmingham. Somewhere about where the late William Gosper lived there once lived a man named O'Dell who kept the post office, and this was the first post office I remember in Windsor. Going along Macquarie-street we come to the big house, part of which is pulled down, and the remainder occupied by Edward Day. The father of the popular mailman. Tom Thompson, kept a pub there. The hospital was built before my time. At that time it was an hospital only. The poor house, as we called it, was where the old people's quarters are at present A man named Williams, was overseer of the poor house then. He was a brother to Fred Williams, the constable who was stationed at Enfield once. I have mentioned that Reuben Bullock kept a pub. Near where the "Jim Crow " stood, and on the same side, he kept the pub. I think his sign was "The hole in the wall". John Rafter kept a pub there also. Mick Hagon kept a pub there. Mick was a big Irishman, and his wife was no small woman. Mrs Hagon kept the pub for a while. At Moses' corner I remember Mrs Moses, William's mother, having a baking business. William and Henry were only lads then. Henry used to drive his mother's bread cart. He was always a smart business chap, and to-day he is reaping the reward in wealth and honor.
The first bailiff I remember in Windsor was Richard Sheriff He was a short stout man with a very red face, and a a great horseman. The earliest mounted police I recollect were Sergeant Lane and Trooper Joseph Levy. Levy shot Armstrong, the bushranger, on a Good Friday morning. Windsor has had its bellmen, and I remember the 0ld bellman Oliver. He had a very strong voice and could be heard a long way off. He was a comical old chap and after he had finished 'crying' his business was always wound up with "God save the Queen." The attached residences of Dr. Callaghan and the late Dr. Gibson in my earliest days in Windsor was an hotel kept by Mr Coffey. He was a tall man of fair complexion. I recollect also that James Ridge kept an hotel in a two-storey house between the Royal Hotel and where Coffey kept the hotel. Where our member, Mr Brinsley Hall, lives was once occupied by Dr. Dow. He was coroner for a long while. Robert and James Dick lived up the top end of the town facing the main street. They kept the post office and a store. In the bouse where the late Ben Richards lived for years, and which is now owned by Mr Daniel Holland, I remember old Mr. Thomas Dargin living. Mr Dargin died there. In the course of time Laban White married his widow and lived there.
He was auctioneer and coroner at Windsor.
Somewhere about where Mr. R. A. Pye has his business, stood a pub kept by a man named Weller. The sign was painted by Tom Masters' father, and represented a blackfellow with a big nugget of gold in his hand. Where the Bank of New South Wales is, belonged to James Hale. He lived there for a long while, and when he left he went to live at "Fairfield," which he had bought. He died there. About where Pulsford's shop is, Mr Fox kept a general store, and about where the post office is Mr Crew had a large ironmonger's shop. Adjoining Mr Crew lived the father ot Peter Beveridge. He was in business as a confectioner. Fitzgerald-street we always knew as Hangman's Row. In this street old Mr Chandler had a furniture store on the left hand side between the post office and Macquarie street. At the time of the big fire, when the Barraba Hotel was burnt down, the shop was saved. The first I remember keeping the Barraba Hotel was Charles Blanchard. I was in the Barraba the day before it was burnt down and had a glass of beer with John Grono of Pitt Town. Miss Isabella Bushell kept it at that time. Not far away, on the same side as the Barraba, lived old Mr Gallaway, a tailor. Then handy we had Mr. Watt, a shoemaker, with whom George Eather served his apprenticeship. His son, Edward, lived about Windsor for a long while, and a daughter married George Eather's eldest brother, Charles Eather.
Mrs. O'Donovan kept a draper's shop where W. H. O'Brien lives. She owned the place. She had two daughters, the last dying some little time ago, unmarried. Where W. H. O'Brien's shop is William Gaudry and his brother Charles lived, William was a great sporting man, and was clerk of the course at the old Dargin track. Old Mrs Cope lived in the house where Mrs. Brancker lives. She. owned the property and died there. Where the Commercial Bank stands old Mr Richard Ridge kept a pub. He built the Fitzroy Hotel and kept it for a good while. Ridge was a great mail contractor in conjunction with a man named Hill. Old Harry Martineer used to drive for them in the days when the train only came as far as Parramatts. I am not likely to forget those days, as I came from Sydney one day, and when I got out of the train at Parramatta Harry Martineer couldn't take me as he had too many on board. I had to put 7000 sheep over the river in the punt next day and to Richmond I had to get — so I walked going by the Blacktown road. Mr Richard Ridge had the mail contract when the train came on to Black town. Paddy Doyle was the driver of the mail. After Ridge went to the "Fitzroy" old Mr Broderick had a watch maker's shop in the place Ridge left. Sometimes I brought watches down to him from up-country for repairs while I was droving. Close to Broderick's was another watchmaker named Stewart. The house where Mr William Primrose had a saddler's shop for many years, was built by Mr Mumford, the chemist. He was thrown off his horse out Magrath's Hill way, which proved fatal. He had only insured his life some nine months before for £500. Not far from where the "Fitzroy" stands and in the direction of the railway, old Mr Thomas Tebbutt kept a store. At the present day I have a pair of old fashioned brass candle sticks which George James bought off Mr Tebbutt while in was in business there. A daughter of mine in Sydney has a small, extension table which James purchased at Mr Tebbutt's shop. George Freeman kept the Cricketer's Arms on the corner where Miss Bushell conducted the Royal Exchange Hotel for so many years. In connection with this pub I had a funny experience once which I must tell. Up stairs the Oddfellows held their meetings, and I had been proposed by Mr Peebles. How I came to be proposed was, Peebles used to draw the grog to the pubs over the river, and I used to put him over in the punt. Anyhow I had been proposed, so I mounted my horse and rode in. Dr.Day was the medical officer and when he examined me he wouldn't pass me. He told me to come again next meeting night, in a fortnight, and in I went. Again he wouldn't pass me, and wanted me to come again in another fortnight, but I told him I wouldn't come any more. Dr.Day thought I had heart disease, but here I am battling well in my 80th year, while the doctor went to his rest many years ago.
A little further in the direction of the railway Thomas Freeman kept the St. Patrick's Hotel. About opposite the Salvation Army barracks Frank McDonald kept a pub in a two-storey house. He did a good business. I knew both him and his wife well. McDonald was a great man with the late Hon. William Walker in election time. Hon. William Walker's father kept a school in the cross street close by. I knew the, Hon. William's brothers, George, Robert, and John. The last time I saw George was when he was a storekeeper on a large sheep station near Coonamble. Some time after he was an auctioneer in Mudgee. The first time I saw William was on Dargin's old race course. He was pointed out to me as the young chap who was learning to be a lawyer under Mr Beddick."

Sources:
Windsor and Richmond Gazette (NSW : 1888 - 1954)
Saturday 17 September 1910
Windsor and Richmond Gazette (NSW : 1888 - 1954)
Saturday 24 September 1910
Transcription, janilye, 2012




The photograph below of Windsor,
the Royal Hotel on the right
was taken around 1880

S/name. F/names. Abode. deathdate. burialdate. Age. Ship. Occupation. Clergyman.

247 Bourke John Windsor 9 Jan 1845 40 Labourer Thos Slattery
248 Fitzgerald Michl Windsor 23 Jan 1845 67 Pauper Thos Slattery
249 Pendergast Mary Cornwallis 16 Feb 1845 10 weeks Native of the Colony Thos Slattery
250 Breach George Windsor 20 Feb 1845 12 months Native of the Colony John Kenny
251 White James Richmond 21 Mar 1845 50 Farmer Thos Slattery
252 Turner Ann Wilberforce 26 Mar 1845 42 John Kenny
253 Cullen Edward Vinegar Hill 4 Apr 1845 Farmer Thos Slattery
254 Norris James Cornwallis 10 May 1845 5 Native of the Colony Thos Slattery
255 Dempsey John Richmond 11 May 1845 69 Farmer Thos Slattery
256 Slater or Donohoe Mary Clarendon 11 May 1845 22 Margaret 2 Servant Thos Slattery
257 Fogerty Michl Currajong 24 May 1845 37 Labourer Thos Slattery
258 Kenna Patk Currajong 30 May 1845 80 Tilly Sherry Labourer Thos Slattery
259 Kough William Windsor 8 Jun 1845 Labourer Thos Slattery
260 Tighe Anne Windsor 4 Jul 1845 58 Elizabeth Servant Thos Slattery
261 Holt William Currajong 15 Jul 1845 14 weeks Native of the Colony Thos Slattery
262 Collins Patrick Wollombi 31 Jul 1845 5 Native of the Colony John Kenny
263 Pendergast John Windsor 30 Nov 1845 37 Native of the Colony Mr McGrath
264 Brady Thomas Windsor 17 Jan 1846 58 Native of Ireland Mr McGrath
265 Fitzpatrick James Penrith 4 Apr 1846 7 Mr McGrath
266 Fitzpatrick Mary Windsor 14 Apr 1846 15 weeks Mr McGrath
267 McGoven Peter Wilberforce ? 15 Apr 1846 26 Captain Cook Mr McGrath
268 Gaham or Graham Hugh Freemans Reach 13 May 1846 51 Mr McGrath
269 Darey or Doney Thomas Freemans Reach 14 Jul 1846 41 Mr McGrath
270 Davies Mathew Poor House 28 Jul 1846 70 Mr McGrath
271 Keating G Poor House 14 Aug 1846 67 Mr McGrath
272 Foley Catherine Poor House 19 Aug 1846 35 Mr McGrath
273 O'Donnell Patk Poor House 23 Aug 1846 80 Mr McGrath
274 Perkins ? Windsor 18 Oct 1846 43 Mr McGrath
275 Byrne Patk Windsor 15 Nov 1846 32 Mr McGrath
276 Humphreys Ann Wilberforce 18 Nov 1846 6 Mr McGrath
277 Walsh Ann Windsor 28 Jan 1847 58 Mr McGrath
278 Connor Charles Asylum 10 Feb 1847 50 Mr McGrath
279 Cassidy James Windsor 30 Apr 1847 54 Schoolmaster Mr McGrath
280 Curran Mrs Rebecca Richmond 19 May 1847 19
281 Cusack Patrick Windsor 23 Aug 1847 32 Labourer John Joseph Therry
282 Dormer John Windsor 11 Sep 1847 His body was found in the Hawkesbury River How he came by his death the Coroners Jury could not obtain evidence John Joseph Therry
283 Kennedy Patrick Asylum 17 Sep 1847 63 John Joseph Therry
284 Smith Ann Asylum 13 Oct 1847 48 John Joseph Therry
285 Daley Patrick Richmond 25 Oct 1847 28 John Joseph Therry
286 Riley Mary Ann Richmond 12 Nov 1847 20 months John Joseph Therry
287 O'Brien Michael Windsor 12 Nov 1847 one day John Joseph Therry
288 Power or Poore Mary Ann Clarendon 23 Nov 1847 eleven days John Joseph Therry
289 Collins Thomas Windsor late of Wiseman's establishment at Windsor Hospital 24 Nov 1847 about 46 Herdsman John Joseph Therry
290 Maguire Edward McDonald River, died in Windsor Hospital 21 Dec 1847 66 Labourer John Joseph Therry
291 Riley John Cornwallis 24 Dec 1847 78 Labourer John Joseph Therry
292 Cuffe Farrell Richmond 5 Jan 1848 73 Schoolmaster John Joseph Therry
293 McKeon Hugh Windsor 6 Jan 1848 86 Labourer John Joseph Therry
294 Duffy James Kurrajong 13 Jan 1848 75 Farmer John Joseph Therry
295 Connor Bridget Vinegar Hill 15 Jan 1848 45 John Joseph Therry
296 Donelly Thomas Asylum Windsor 7 Feb 1848 72 Labourer John Joseph Therry
297 McDonogh Patrick North Rocks near Windsor 7 Feb 1848 62 Labourer John Joseph Therry
298 O'Grady Thomas Richmond 8 Mar 1848 22 months John Joseph Therry
299 Peible George Windsor 5 Apr 1848 4 1/2 John Joseph Therry
300 McCormick John Windsor 18 Apr 1848 40 Pauper Asylum John Joseph Therry
301 Murphy Samuel Windsor 19 Apr 1848 41 Pauper Asylum John Joseph Therry
302 Elliott Catherine Windsor 24 Apr 1848 63 Pauper Asylum John Joseph Therry
303 Holmes William Windsor May 1848 46 Pauper Asylum John Joseph Therry
304 Cullen Ellen Caddie Creek 28 May 1848 7 John Joseph Therry
305 Carthy Denis Windsor 29 May 1848 84 Pauper Asylum John Joseph Therry
306 Byrnes Patrick Cornwallis 6 Jun 1848 77 Farmer John Joseph Therry
307 Connelly James Windsor 8 Jun 1848 69 Atlas Shepherd John Joseph Therry
308 Carney Rebecca Eastern Creek 7 Jul 1848 84 Atlas Farmer Rev M Stephens
309 Kean Charles Windsor 22 Jul 1848 82 Pauper Asylum Rev E Luckie
310 Kelly James Lakeville 23 Jul 1848 75 Farmer Rev E Luckie
311 Landres James Richmond Aug 1848 88 Haldo 2nd Farmer Rev E Luckie
312 Gribbon Hugh Windsor 15 Aug 1848 78 Pauper Asylum Rev E Luckie
313 Good Arthur Windsor 2 Sep 1848 57 Pauper Asylum Rev M Stephens
314 Mahan John Windsor Sep 1848 36 Shop Keeper Rev M Stephens
315 Keane Peter Kurrajong Sep 1848 30
316 Spinks John Windsor 12 Oct 1848 42 Lady Melville Bricklayer John Grant
317 Barry Thos 26 Nov 1848 61 Dafiesta 1st Pauper Asylum John Grant
318 Haleroft Mary 5 Dec 1848 35 Pyramus Pauper Asylum John Grant
319 Huston Catherine 10 Dec 1848 43 Hooghley Pauper Asylum John Grant
320 Byrnes Walter 12 Dec 1848 38 Lady Harwood John Grant
321 Lynch ? 26 Dec 1848 48 Charles Forbes John Grant
322 unreadable 10 months John Grant
323 Braywood Henry Windsor 31 Dec 1848 14 months Native child John Grant
324 Turner Anne 14 Jan 1849 51 John Grant
325 Cullen James 4 Feb 1849 40 John Grant
326 C? Maria 12 Feb 1849 40 John Grant
327 Hayward Jane 16 Feb 1849 4 days John Grant
328 Spinks Mary 4 Mar 1849 46 Asylum John Grant
329 Harper ? 22 Mar 1849 53 Unreadable John Grant
330 McKeene Mary Richmond 24 Mar 1849 60 unreadable John Grant
331 Foley John Windsor 14 Apr 1849 54 Elizabeth [3] Asylum John Grant
332 McKibbett Bridget 14 Apr 1849 61 John Grant
333 Trodden Henry 24 Apr 1849 12 days John Grant
334 Costigan William 29 Apr 1849 45 Labourer John Grant
335 Doyle George 3 Jun 1849 70 Asylum John Grant
336 Herring Thos 11 Jun 1849 50 John Grant
337 Brennan John 22 Jun 1849 66 unreadable John Grant
338 Connor Timothy Windsor 24 Jun 1849 76 Unreadable Pauper John Grant
339 Riley Patrick Windsor 1 Jul 1849 59 Unreadable John Grant
340 Clifford Fredk ? Windsor 5 Jul 1849 70 Patra John Grant
341 Coffey Isabel Windsor 10 Jul 1849 38 John Grant
342 Davis Margt Colo 10 Aug 1849 44 Fourth John Grant
343 Donohue Patrick Windsor 19 Aug 1849 49 Andromeda Pauper John Grant
344 McDonald Richd Windsor 21 Aug 1849 10 months John Grant
345 Sullivan Mary Windsor 14 Sep 1849 44 John Grant
346 Baker Margaret Richmond 15 Sep 1849 31 Isabella John Grant
347 Woods James Richmond 6 Oct 1849 8 months John Grant
348 Savage Patrick Richmond 16 Oct 1849 57 Labourer John Grant
349 Pendergast Thos Richard Pitt Town 4 Nov 1849 4 months Native of the Colony John Grant
350 Byrne Maryanne Windsor 11 Nov 1849 5 Native John Grant
351 Maguire Joseph Windsor 12 Nov 1849 2 months Native John Grant
352 *bridge or Petherbridge unreadable Windsor 18 Nov 1849 4 months Native John Grant
353 Carney Edwd Prospect 11 Dec 1849 75 Farmer John Grant
354 Connors Charlotte 14 Dec 1849 60 Maria 2nd Pauper Asylum John Grant
355 Murray Mary Kurrajong 20 Dec 1849 12 months Native of the Colony John Grant
356 Henright Jane Windsor 7 Mar 1850 6 months Native of the Colony John Grant
357 Davis William Tumbledon Barn District of Windsor 7 Mar 1850 14 days Native of the Colony John Grant
358 Colrenny Bridget Windsor 20 Mar 1850 15 Anglia John Grant
359 Rafter Catherine Windsor 7 May 1850 14 months Native of the Colony John Grant
360 Mills Mathew Richmond 17 May 1850 16 months Native of the Colony John Grant
361 Heany Mary Windsor 1 Jun 1850 40 Elizabeth House Servant John Grant
362 Keenan William Windsor 12 Jun 1850 85 Martha Pauper Asylum John Grant
363 Hefferan Patrick Wilberforce 21 Jun 1850 60 Labourer John Grant
364 McAlpin Ellen Richmond 1 Aug 1850 69 Farmer John Grant
365 Timmins Michael Yellowmanday 20 Sep 1850 42 Native of the Colony John Grant
366 Mullens James Windsor 6 Oct 1850 40 Labourer John Grant
367 Ives Mary Richmond 28 Oct 1850 50 Henry Walsh John Grant
368 Reily Francis Richmond 2 Nov 1850 63 Edward Farmer John Grant
369 Smith Henry North Rocks 16 Dec 1850 25 John Grant
370 Gardoll Anton Richmond 21 Dec 1850 12 Weeks John Grant
371 Ahearn James Windsor 25 Dec 1850 8 ? John Grant
372 Brants Mary Windsor 19 Jan 1851 7 days John Grant
373 Wright Johanna Richmond 6 Mar 1851 33 Farmer John Grant
374 Clynes John Windsor 19 Mar 1851 28 Labourer John Grant
375 Pigeon Bridget South Creek 12 Apr 1851 8
376 Mason Mary Buried at Kurrajong 4 May 1851 68
377 Ray David Richmond 10 May 1851 1
378 Redman Martin Windsor 11 May 1851 30 Ogley Pauper Rev N J Coffey
379 Neil Patrick Richmond 1 Jun 1851 37 Farmer Rev N J Coffey
380 Cormack Patrick Cornwallis 10 Jun 1851 47 Labourer Rev N J Coffey
381 Doyle William Windsor 25 Jun 1851 55 Henry Porcher Pauper Rev N J Coffey
382 Egan Michl Windsor 30 Aug 1851 34 Inn Keeper Rev N J Coffey
383 Guthrie John Wilberforce 7 Sep 1851 70 Labourer Rev N J Coffey
384 Kelly Michael Richmond 11 Sep 1851 3 Rev N J Coffey
385 Connor Roger Nepean 1 Oct 1851 77 Neptune Farmer ?
386 Lynch Thomas Windsor 8 Oct 1851 91 Farmer Rev N J Coffey
387 Doyle Bridget Windsor 9 Oct 1851 55 Elizabeth 4th Pauper Rev N J Coffey
388 Collins Thomas Windsor 18 Oct 1851 88 Ann Pauper Rev N J Coffey
389 Ray Alexander Windsor 20 Oct 1851 50 Isabella Pauper Rev N J Coffey
390 Moloney Sarah Buried at Kurrajong 13 Nov 1851 52 Rev N J Coffey
391 Callum James Pitt Town 1 Dec 1851 5 months Rev N J Coffey
392 Smith Patrick Pitt Town 8 Dec 1851 2 months Rev N J Coffey
393 Glasgow Henry Pitt Town 8 Jan 1852 9 Rev N J Coffey
394 Molloy Mary Pitt Town 21 Jan 1852 7 months Rev N J Coffey
394 Mangin Martin Windsor 30 Jan 1852 40 Labourer Rev N J Coffey
395 Fair Richard Calai Creek 1 Feb 1852 2 Rev N J Coffey
396 Heaney Thomas Windsor 4 Feb 1852 61 Pauper Rev N J Coffey
397 McCabe Catherine Buried at Kurrajong 10 Feb 1852 64 Rev N J Coffey
398 Costello Jeremiah Windsor 8 Feb 1852 67 Black Smith Rev N J Coffey
399 Harper Patrick South Creek 16 Feb 1852 72 Farmer Rev N J Coffey
400 Bullok Catherine Windsor 19 Feb 1852 32 Inn Keeper Rev N J Coffey
401 Pendergast Thomas Pitt Town 25 Feb 1852 6 months Rev N J Coffey
402 Higgens Michael Sydney 3 Mar 1852 35 Rev N J Coffey Buried at Kurrajong
403 Dunn Ellen Windsor 4 Mar 1852 72 Labourer's wife Rev N J Coffey
404 Hadden John Kurrajong 11 Mar1852 86 Labourer Rev N J Coffey
405 Sullivan Ellen Windsor 4 Apr 1852 14 months Rev N J Coffey
406 Harris Mary unreadable 22 Apr 1852
407 Maguire Thomas Cornwallis 19 May 1852 62 Farmer Rev P Hallinan
408 Ring John Windsor 20 May 1852 70 Meadicant Rev P Hallinan
409 Broderick Daniel Windsor 31 May 1852 55 Pauper Rev P Hallinan
410 Connely Patrick Cliften 21 Jun 1852 60 Labourer Rev P Hallinan
411 unreadable unreadable Vinegar Hill 13 Jul 1852 58 Labourer Rev P Hallinan
412 unreadable John Michael Windsor 16 Jul 1852 1 day Rev P Hallinan
413 O'Brien Agnes Josephine Windsor 22 Jul 1852 3 weeks Rev P Hallinan
414 Mulhern William McGraths Hill 6 Sep 1852 78 Labourer Rev P Hallinan
415 Davis Margaret South Creek Windsor 15 Sep 1852 70 Rev P Hallinan
416 Kempster James Nepean District 19 Sep 1852 2 yrs 8 mths Rev P Hallinan
417 Day Bridget Cornwallis 29 Sep 1852 55 Widow Rev P Hallinan
418 Leary Mary Windsor 6 Oct 1852 44 Pauper Rev P Hallinan
419 Davies Richd Richmond 14 Oct 1852 34 Labourer Rev P Hallinan
420 Bourke Ellen Windsor 26 Oct 1852 29 Labourer's wife Rev P Hallinan
421 Keogh Walter Windsor 28 Oct 1852 56 John Bayer? Pauper Rev P Hallinan
422 Hamilton John Windsor 12 Nov 1852 75 Rev P Hallinan
423 Sullivan Cornelius Windsor 19 Nov 1852 - Atlas Pauper Rev P Hallinan
424 Cunningham Mary Windsor 20 Nov 1852 Farmer Rev P Hallinan
425 Woods Robert Richmond 21 Nov 1852 18 months Rev P Hallinan
426 Reedy Bridget Windsor 21 Nov 1852 2 Rev P Hallinan
427 Beans Mary unreadable 26 Nov 1852 74 unreadable Rev P Hallinan
428 Hynds Charles Box Hill 1 Dec 1852 18 Farmer Rev P Hallinan
429 McCarthy Thomas Windsor 4 Dec 1852 58 Rev P Hallinan
430 Whelan John Windsor 15 Dec 1852 73 Portland Rev P Hallinan
431 Doyle Patrick Windsor 17 Dec 1852 81 Hodbro? Rev P Hallinan
432 Carthy Mary Windsor 12 Dec 1852 60 Rev P Hallinan
433 Gabon Patrick Windsor 19 Dec 1852 72 Earl of St Vincent Rev P Hallinan
434 Brennan John Windsor 1 Jan 1853 60 Atlas [3] Pauper Rev P Hallinan
435 Cunningham Robert Windsor 6 Jan 1853 30 Royal Saxon Rev P Hallinan
436 King Patrick Windsor 3 Feb 1853 74 Rev P Hallinan
437 Egan Edward Windsor 18 Feb 1853 55 Rev P Hallinan
438 Gaunt Michael Kurrajong 1 Jan 1853 2 months Rev P Hallinan
439 Finley John Windsor 14 Apr 1853 64 Pauper Rev P Hallinan
440 Moffitt Mary Windsor 16 Apr 1853 30 Rev P Hallinan
441 Murray Anne Sally's Bottoms 13 May 1853 33 Rev P Hallinan
442 Goodwin Mary Freemans Reach 15 May 1853 75 Rev P Hallinan
443 McCabe Owen Kurrajong 22 May 1853 27 Rev P Hallinan
444 Norris Mary Ann Cornwallis 27 May 1853 40 Rev P Hallinan
445 Connors Michael Windsor 22 May 1853 80 Rev P Hallinan
446 Harrison Catherine Windsor 24 May 1853 67 Rev P Hallinan
447 Hayes Mary Jane Freemans Reach 2 Jun 1853 37 Rev P Hallinan
448 Barton Stephen Cliften 2 Jun 1853 5 Rev P Hallinan
449 Byrns Peter Windsor 9 Jun 1853 10 Rev P Hallinan
450 Eather Mrs Mary Kurrajong 11 Jun 1853 50 Rev P Hallinan
451 Hanly Jane Richmond 14 Jun 1853 4 months Rev P Hallinan
452 Wayburn Bridget Pitt Town 19 Jun 1853 52 Rev P Hallinan
453 Moore William Pitt Town 21 Jun 1853 50 Rev P Hallinan
454 Read Laurence Windsor 15 Jul 1853 60 Rev P Hallinan
455 Mahon Patrick Windsor 15 Jul 1853 77 Rev P Hallinan
456 Murphy John Hospital Windsor 17 Jul 1853 60 Rev P Hallinan
457 unreadable Mrs Richmond 5 Aug 1853 26 Rev P Hallinan
458 Parkland Mary Windsor 3 Aug 1853 61 Rev P Hallinan
459 Moran Michael Pitt Town 13 Aug 1853 62 Rev P Hallinan
460 Norris Elizabeth Richmond Bottoms 21 Aug 1853 23 Rev P Hallinan
461 Kelly Daniel Pitt Town 3 Sep 1853 79 Rev P Hallinan
462 Gunan Michael Richmond 13 Sep 1853 55 Rev P Hallinan
463 Mellish Maria Sydney 13 Sep 1853 36 Rev P Hallinan
464 Hill Elizabeth Windsor 18 Sep 1853 60 Rev P Hallinan
465 Clarke Thomas Pitt Town 22 Sep 1853 3 Rev P Hallinan
466 Gatton Thomas Windsor 2 Oct 1853 77 Rev P Hallinan
467 Riely John Penrith District 8 Oct 1853 45 Rev P Hallinan
468 Murray Thomas Sally's Bottoms 31 Oct 1853 7 Rev P Hallinan
469 Waddle Thomas Richmond 16 Nov 1853 60 Rev P Hallinan
470 Jones unreadable Windsor 17 Nov 1853 63 Rev P Hallinan
471 Slater unreadable Fairfield 22 Nov 1853 54 Rev P Hallinan
472 Sharry Mary Windsor 23 Nov 1853 19 Rev P Hallinan
473 Dockin John Richmond Bottoms 26 Nov 1853 7 Rev P Hallinan
474 Crawley John Windsor 1 Dec 1853 67 Rev P Hallinan
475 Connors Charles Box Hill 11 Dec 1853 74 Rev P Hallinan
476 Sharry Mary Ann Windsor 12 Dec 1853 1 month Rev P Hallinan
477 nil Rev P Hallinan
478 Buttersworth Bridget Pitt Town Bottoms 2 Jan 1854 26 Rev P Hallinan
479 Buttersworth Bridget Pitt Town Bottoms 12 Jan 1854 17 days Rev P Hallinan
480 Mellish Mary Sydney 26 Jan 1854 6 months Rev P Hallinan Age crossed out
481 Kilduf John Pitt Town 8 Feb 1854 60 Rev P Hallinan
482 Walsh John Windsor 7 Feb 1854 48 Rev P Hallinan
483 Brennan John Windsor 8 Feb 1854 70 Rev P Hallinan
484 Whitford Mary Windsor 18 Feb 1854 60 Rev P Hallinan
485 Power Michael Wilberforce 24 Mar 1854 63 Rev P Hallinan
486 Davies Henry Wilberforce 27 Mar 1854 53 Rev P Hallinan
487 Cavanagh Michael Windsor 10 Apr 1854 78 Rev P Hallinan
488 Pender [gast] Thomas Pitt Town 29 Apr 1854 14 months Rev P Hallinan
489 McQuade Charles Hale Windsor 29 Jun 1854 1 month Rev H Johnson
490 Kenny Anne Richmond 9 Jul 1854 77 Rev P Hallinan
491 Dempsey Denis Richmond 7 Aug 1854 62 Rev P Hallinan
492 Doyle Peter Wilberforce 12 Aug 1854 70 Rev P Hallinan
493 Riley Elizabeth Windsor 17 Sep 1854 63 Rev P Hallinan
494 Norris Michael Cornwallis 28 Sep 1854 30 Rev P Hallinan
495 Doyle Timothy Windsor 17 Oct 1854 80 Rev P Hallinan
496 Hewson Henry North Richmond 24 Oct 1854 11 Rev P Hallinan
497 Tierney Mary Windsor 5 Nov 1854 4 Rev P Hallinan
498 O'Keefe Mary Jane Windsor 13 Nov 1854 7 weeks Rev P Hallinan
499 Tait John Pitt Town 26 Nov 1854 3 Rev P Hallinan
500 Kelly John Richmond Bottoms 28 Dec 1854 2 Rev P Hallinan
501 Gahan Hugh Freemans Reach 31 Dec 1854 1yr 9 months Rev P Hallinan
502 unreadable Thomas Windsor 27 Dec 1854 80 Rev P Hallinan



Credits: Transcriptions by Kristine Wood - October 2003.

George Leonard LEE the son of John Leonard LEE 1833-1913 and
Mary, nee ECKFORD 1836-1883 was born in Maitland in 1860.
In 1896, George Leonard married Emma Onus TOWN 1867-1948 the
daughter of Andrew TOWN, of Hobartville 1840-1890 and
Emma Susannah ONUS 1843-1941.

This biography below is from the Dictionary of Australian Biography:-
[George Leonard Lee (1860-1939), soldier, was born on 25 June 1860 at West Maitland, New South Wales, son of John Lee, draper and later merchant, and his wife, Mary Ann née Eckford. Educated at Sauchu House School, West Maitland, and Armidale Grammar School, he worked for a while in the family business, John Lee & Sons, West Maitland. He was a well-known horseman and sportsman, keen on polo.

On 4 October 1889 Lee was commissioned in the local troop of the New South Wales Lancers and during the maritime strike of 1890 acted as adjutant of the partially paid cavalry and mounted rifles who were enrolled as special police in Sydney. Next year he was sent to England for training and by October 1892 had qualified in an equitation course at the Cavalry School, Canterbury, at an Army Service Corps school and at the School of Musketry, Hythe; he also trained for several months with the 20th Hussars at Aldershot. After returning home he joined the New South Wales Permanent Military Forces in December 1892 as a captain and from then until June 1902 was adjutant of the New South Wales Lancers. The New South Wales Mounted Brigade's book of confidential reports contains laudatory references to him. During that time he was also acting staff officer, Mounted Brigade, for over two years, and commandant of the Cavalry School. On 2 January 1896 he married Emma Onus Town at St Ann's Anglican Church, Homebush, Sydney; they had no children.

On the outbreak of the South African War in October 1899 the New South Wales Lancers mobilized a draft to go from Sydney to reinforce their squadron which was proceeding to the war from England after training there. Lee, now a major, was in charge of the draft which joined the squadron in South Africa on 6 December. Lee then took command of the Lancer contingent from Captain C. F. Cox. His unit, part of Lieutenant-General French's force, was employed in operations around Colesberg, the relief of Kimberley, and actions at Paardeberg, Poplar Grove, Driefontein, Zand River, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Diamond Hill and in the Transvaal east of Pretoria to 26 October 1900 when the squadron's year of service ended. For his work in South Africa Lee was mentioned in dispatches and awarded the Distinguished Service Order.

Resuming duty with the Australian Military Forces, Lee was assistant adjutant general and chief staff officer in Victoria in 1902-07. Appointed to the Administrative and Instructional Staff in 1904, he became a lieutenant-colonel in 1909, having held brevet rank since 1902. He served in New South Wales from June 1907, and was commandant in Tasmania in 1911-12 and in Queensland in 1912-17. After that he was temporarily in command in New South Wales, with the honorary rank of major general from July 1918 until he was transferred to the retired list on 13 May 1920 as honorary lieutenant-general. He was aide-de-camp to the governor-general in 1915-20, and in 1917 was appointed C.M.G.

Warm tributes to Lee's personality and ability include praise of his fine horsemanship, geniality and ripe judgement; there was 'no hypocrisy in his make up' and he would not tolerate it in anyone under him. In retirement he worked two oyster leases at Port Stephens, New South Wales. He was a member of the Union Club, Sydney. Survived by his wife, he died on 13 April 1939 at Burwood and was cremated with Anglican rites.]

Citation details
Vernon, P. V., 'Lee, George Leonard (1860–1939)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/lee-george-leonard-7146/text12335, accessed 12 July 2012.
This article was first published in hardcopy in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 10, (MUP), 1986




OBITUARY
Printed in the Sydney Morning Herald,
Saturday 15 April 1939

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL G. L.LEE.
Lieutenant-General George Leonard Lee, who died on Thursday night,
aged 78, had a distinguished military career.
He received his first commission in the New South Wales Lancers in 1889,
and was subsequently adjutant of the Lancers for 10 years.
After reaching the rank of lieutenant-colonel he was appointed to the
administrative instructional staff of the permanent military forces.
He was Assistant Adjutant General and Chief Staff Officer in Victoria
from 1902 to 1907, Commandant in Tasmania from 1911 to 1912, and
Commandant in Queensland from 1912 to 1917.

He took part in the South African campaign, and was present at the
relief of Kimberley.
He was mentioned in despatches in 1901, and received the
Distinguished Service Order and the Queen's medal with six clasps.
He was created a C.M.G. in 1917.

A well-known sportsman and horseman, in his younger days he won renown
in many cross-country rides, winning more than one.

Before he was appointed to the permanent staff he was a member of the
firm of John Lee and Sons, general providers, West Maitland.
He was at one time Commandant of the Cavalry School of Instruction.
He was granted the rank of lieutenant-general when he retired from the
position of State Commandant in New South Wales 19 years ago."

Lieut.Gen. George Leonard LEE C.M.G D.S.O died on the 13 April 1939 at his residence,
58 Broughton Road, Homebush.
(the former residence of his mother-in-law, Emma Susannah TOWN)
His widow Emma Onus LEE died on the 15 April 1948, also at Broughton Road.

Any article or series of articles on the "Good Old Days" that
did not treat the sports of that-period would be like a
meat pie without, the meat. I have attempted to give a complete
and comprehensive digest of the manners and customs of the people
of the times of which I write, and as cock fighting was almost an
institution in those days, some attention must be given to it.

Not many will regret the fact this kind of sport is now a thing of
the past, so far as this district is concerned—and has been allowed to
fall into oblivion along with other relics of barbarism.

From the 1840s cock-fighting was one of the most popular sports
in the Hawkesbury district of New South Wales, and in those days unless you had a
game rooster that could masacre twenty of your neighbours' domestic chooks in as
many minutes, you might as well be dead, for you were considered nobody.

But now things have changed, the cock-fighting instincts of the people
are dead, though the sleek bird still retains all the combative instincts
of the olden leaven, and would even now fight till he dropped on his own or
some other party's dung-hill. Many residents well remember the old rendezvous
of the enthusiasts of this branch of sport—in Holland's paddock,(Windsor)
facing the banks, In this paddock, where there is now a large pond, a pit
existed for many years, and at the trysting-ground large crowds of people
assembled nearly every Saturday to witness a good encounter between two
game cocks.
An edifying spectacle it must have been, truly, yet amongst the votaries of
the sport were many men who were then leading lights of the district.

For years cock-fighting was carried on in public, and was reckoned a legitimate
sport. Then the State stepped in and dubbed it unlawful; yet it was carried on,
almost with impunity, for years—but those who participated in the sport met in
some sequestered nook to hold their meetings, the ti-tree swamp on Ham Common
(Richmond) being a favourite resort.

A man named " Jacky" Carr was among the first to introduce cock-fighting into
the Hawkesbury district. He was an Englishman, and always managed to get hold of
some fine imported birds.

Amongst those who followed the game also were Frank Norris, now residing on the
Brickfields,and one of the best pugilists of his day. Also his brothers Paddy and Jim, (sons of Richard NORRIS 1779-1843)
George Cupitt 1808-1875, Charlie Eather, The Charkers,
Gaudry's and Kable's. William Hopkins 1798-1862,
Joseph and William Onus, (sons of Joseph Onus 1782-1835). Ben Richards 1818-1898, and George Bushell were
also admirers of the game-cock, and they all owned good
fighting birds. The second-named is said to have had a magnificent button-comb
bird, which ended the career of many another good one.

The Dargins, Cornwells, Dan Mayne and Jack Cribb also followed the sport.
W. Hopkins was a great breeder of these birds, and he once owned a cookoo-game,
a very rare bird which was responsible for the death of more than one man's pet.

Jim Norris also had a bird which, after winning. fourteen or fifteen successive
battles met its doom when pitted against "Daddy" Baine's in the Richmond Lane,
close to the residence of Mrs. Onus. The birds always fought with steel spurs,
and a small black red bird weighing 6½ lbs, owned by George Cupitt, on one occasion
slaughtered three oponents without having his heels (as the spurs were termed) taken off.

James 'Jack' Cribb 1785-1841 always had a lot of birds, and used to spare no
expense in getting hold of good fighters to take his friends down.
He had been known to pay as much as £10 apiece for them, and once paid that
sum for a big light-grey bird, of which everybody was afraid.

Birds weighing from 6½lbs to 7lbs were always very strong and fast fighters, whilst
they varied in weight from 5½lbs to 8½lbs. The principal breeds were black red,
duck-wing, hen-feather, and the pile. The latter breed was the progeny of two good
distinct strains, and was considered one of the gamest of the game birds.

The fighting generally carried out in what was termed "mains," i.e.,
a number (say 5 or 7) birds of dififerent weights on either side.
The birds of the opposing forces were pitted on as equal terms as possible as
regards weight, and if the result of the " main" was equal, the contest would be
decided by a "turn-out"—that is, a match between the heaviest bird of both sides.
The :mains" Comprised a party from Parramatta or Sydney on the one side, and
Windsor on the other.

Phil Williams (Sydney), the Waterhouses (Parramatta), and W. Sparks (Cook's River)
frequently brought their birds to Windsor, and were met in the fray by
Cupitt, Norris and Hopkins.
Matches for £50 or to £100 aside were often made, while a good deal of out
side money was also wagered

Sources:
Windsor and Richmond Gazette
(NSW : 1888 - 1954)
The Good Old Days
Yeldap.
Research and Transcription, Janilye
20 June 2012

William Glas McALPIN, the son of Peter MCALPIN 1768-1850 and Elizabeth, nee ELTON 1778-1817 was born on 6 October 1810 in Stirling, Perthshire, Scotland, died on 2 Feb 1902 in Bulga, NSW, Australia. He died on the 2 February 1902 at the age of 91. He was buried on 5 February 1902 in St Mark's, Church of England cemetery, Bulga, NSW, Australia.

William Glas McALPIN arrived age 18 months with his parents and 2 siblings, Peter and Sarah, arrived from London as free settlers on the ship "General Graham" 29 January 1812.

William was known generally in life as 'Billy Mack' and When Archibald BELL and his party discovered the alternate route over the Blue Mountains (Bells Line of Road) William Glas McALPIN was a member of his party.

William married Susannah ONUS, daughter of Joseph ONUS 1781-1835 and Ann EATHER 1793-1865, on 1 February 1833 in Christ Church, Church of England, Castlereagh, New South Wales.

Susannah was born on 28 October 1815 in Cornwallis, NSW. died on 10 August 1882 in Bulga, NSW. at age 66, and was buried on 12 August 1882 in St Mark's, Church of England cemetery, Bulga, NSW.
William McALPIN built a brick home in 1834 in the main street of Richmond, NSW with financial help from Joseph ONUS (the father of his wife) and set up a blacksmiths shop at the rear.

Their first 3 children all died within 3 years

The children of William Glas MCALPIN and Susannah, nee ONUS were:-


1.Elizabeth McALPIN was born on 25 October 1833 in Richmond, NSW. died on 11 March 1835 in Richmond, NSW, at age 1, and was buried on 1 April 1835 in St Peter's, Church of England cemetery, Richmond, NSW.

2.Ann McALPIN was born on 21 January 1836 in Richmond, NSW, and died on 6 February 1838 in Richmond, NSW, at age 2, and was buried on 8 February 1838 in St Peter's, Church of England cemetery, Richmond, NSW.

3.Peter McALPIN was born on 16 November 1838 in Richmond, NSW, died on 25 November 1838 in Richmond, NSW and was buried on 26 November 1838 in St Peter's, Church of England cemetery, Richmond, NSW.


4.William McALPIN was born on 19 February 1840 in Richmond, NSW. died on 12 August 1923 in Bulga, NSW, at age 83, and was buried in 1923 in St Mark's, Church of England cemetery, Bulga, NSW.

William married (1)Eva Mary PEBERDY b: 1846, d: 15 October 1868.
on 10 September 1867 in St Matthew's Church, Mount Dangar, NSW.

William next married (2)Elizabeth CHAPMAN b: 4 December 1850, d:29 July 1933 on 29 April 1874 in Burrowell, Howe’s Valley, NSW.


5.Susannah McALPIN was born on 13 May 1842 in Richmond, NSW, Australia, died on 18 January 1882 in "Oreel" Station, Narrabri, NSW, at age 39, and was buried on 19 January 1882 in "Oreel" Station, Narrabri, NSW.
Susannah married MacDonald CLARK b: 20 September 1836, d: 10 February 1918. on 2 Apr 1863 in St Mark's, Church of England, Bulga, NSW.

6.Sarah McALPIN was born on 28 July 1845 in Richmond, NSW. and died on 3 July 1922 in Singleton, NSW. at age 76.
Sarah married William WOODS b: 4 March 1844, d: 7 May 1933.
on 16 Sep 1868 in St Mark's, Church of England, Bulga, NSW, Australia.


7.Joseph McALPIN was born on 31 January 1849 in Bulga, NSW, Australia, died on 12 February 1913 in Bulga, NSW, Australia at age 64, and was buried in 1913 in St Mark's, Church of England cemetery, Bulga, NSW.
Joseph married (1)Elizabeth Jane DAWES b: 1849, d: 19 April 1884.
on 25 June 1873 in All Saint's, Church of England, Patrick’s Plains, NSW. Joseph next married (2)Amelia Therese ROGERS b:20 September 1861, d:8 September 1945.
on 15 July 1886 in Roman Catholic Church, Patrick’s Plains, NSW.

8. Mary McALPIN was born on 12 January 1852 in Bulga, NSW. died on 3 January 1915 in Bulga, NSW at age 62, and was buried in 1915 in St Mark's, Church of England cemetery, Bulga, NSW.
Mary married Edward ROSER b: 13 March 1848, d: 9 November 1930 on 14 December 1870 in All Saint's, Church of England, Singleton, NSW.


At the end of 1841 the family moved to Bulga - they settled close to their relatives on Wollombi Brook.
William's life long hobby and interest was the breeding and showing of Clydesdale horses - showing horses at many shows including Maitland, Mudgee and Sydney - and acting as a judge at many country shows.

In 1871 William Glas McALPIN, purchased 465 acres of land at Bulga. It was land that had been Thomas TAILBY's and George EATON's grants, along with land that Joseph ONUS had owned and willed to his sons. William had purchased the land from Thomas Alexander ONUS 1849-1934, the son of his sister Elizabeth 1825-1884., which had been left to him by his father.

From then on William and his family resided on this land, which he named "Glen Alpin", and were next-door neighbours to Thomas Eather 1824-1909 and his wife Eliza, nee CROWLEY at 'Meerea'


William Glas McALPIN and His wife Susannah are both buried in the Anglican Cemetery at Bulga their epitaph reads;

"Kind Hearts are More than Coronets".
-----

*Extracts from "Among the Pastoralists and Producers," an account from the roving reporter, Harold M MacKENZIE.

1895.
"On leaving Mr THORLEY's property intending to shape a course for Warkworth, I was persuaded to alter it, upon learning from that gentleman that one of the oldest and best men for recounting events of the past lived at Bulga, in the person of Mr. William Glass [sic] McALPIN, so hither I hied myself without delay".

At the time, 1895/1896, the road between Singleton and Bulga was in good condition and the weather was hot. Bulga, an Aboriginal name for "Mountain," had a Public School, Church of England, a Wesleyan Chapel and a School of Arts. The "Band of Hope" numbered from 300 to 400 people, with William Glas McALPIN taking a leading role. Bulga was a sober place and publicans and sly groggers got short shift: "Young man, we wouldn't have 'em near us" said William Glas, who MacKENZIE found enjoyed fishing and was a fit 85-year-old. Getting produce to market was a problem and William sent his wheat to Maitland over a bad road. However cattle were no problem -they were driven over the Putty to the Hawkesbury, thence to the stock markets at Homebush.

William Glas McALPIN related that he arrived in Sydney on the ship "General Graham" in January 1812, which carried stores for the colony and a small number of passengers, who were all free settlers with a trade. His father he said was a blacksmith and he had been a smithy at Windsor. William Glas learnt the trade there. He bought a piece of land from George BOWMAN and moved to Richmond where he lived to 1841. He made his first droving trip to Bulga on Mr ONUS's account, the first in 1826 and he finally settled there in 1841. He said droving wasn't a bad life, people were very honest and he never had any problem getting paid.

William related that his sister, Sarah McALPIN, was the first white woman at Bulga and that he and his brother-in-law Mr ONUS had 1,200 acres between them at Bulga.

Between Bulga and Warkworth.
The first week of January 1896.
"The first week in January will be remembered as one of the hottest, if not the hottest, I have ever experienced." After leaving John HAYES' "Rock View," MacKENZIE journeyed to fellow orchardist George PARTRIDGE. George's 80-acre property was considered to be better than HAYES for it had two good creeks on both sides. While at PARTRIDGE's place MacKENZIE was shown a huge apricot tree which bore 1,700 dozen apricots in 1895 - plus many that fell to the ground in wind storms. He had very little problem with disease and pests but the 12 acres planted with oranges of Mr ETHER [sic] who lived thereabout was almost entirely destroyed by caterpillars. His pumpkin crop went the same way "even though a very determined Mr EATHER re-planted the crop three times, the thirty acres were ravaged on each occasion."

In The Bulga District. Among the Pastoralists and Producers.
By Harold M MacKENZIE.
15th February 1896
"In {one of my past articles} it will be remembered, I dealt chiefly with reminiscences of Bulga when Mr William McALPIN came to the place as far back as 1826 - a man of whom it may be said landed with the proverbial half-crown in his pocket, apprenticed himself to a trade, bought land, and so with thrift and perseverance gradually worked himself to the front-and stayed there. Now, in his declining years, he has the pleasure of seeing his grandchildren around him with peace and comfort reigning in the household. Can a man be expected to do more in a general way?
Amongst the various stock which this old gentleman has concerned himself through life his "hobby" seems to have been breeding draughts. Without any undue flattery, it may be stated that Mr McALPIN has taken more prizes at populous centres, such as Mudgee, Maitland, Sydney etc, than any one else in the same line. Conversing in reference to the different breeds, Mr McALPIN's experience has been solely with the Clydesdale, and as compared with the Suffolk Punch, from what he has seen, he would not be inclined to make a change. To give one instance of his success as a prize taker, it may be stated that a Clydesdale filly, now a two year old, obtained when a yearling no less than three prizes in succession. Talking of horses, concerning which the old gentleman made more pertinent remarks, he said nothing more to the point than when he exclaimed, "I don't believe in breeding mules, my friend." Latterly, of course, Mr McALPIN has not concerned himself much with horse breeding, being content to take a rod and wander forth to enjoy the pursuit that old Isaak (sic) loved.


[Research Notes: The Discovery of (St) Patrick's Plains.
(Editor).
John HOWE, with his party, discovered a route from Windsor to the Hunter River in March 1820 which varies little to the present day Putty Road. During 1887 several letters were published in the Maitland Mercury pertaining to the discovery.

The correspondents were "Jus Sanguinis" (anonymous) William Glas McALPIN, George Thomas LODER, Elizabeth YEOMANS (Mrs.) and William COLLINS. William Glas McALPIN's first letter of July 5, 1887, "trusting that "Jus Sanguinis" would not feel aggrieved at {his} correction "brought forth a response on July 16, to both prior letters from George Thomas LODER. Four days later, July 20, Benjamin SINGLETON's daughter, Elizabeth YEOMANS entered the dispute then she was followed by William COLLINS. The following letter, written by William G McALPIN, was his reply to two articles published in the Maitland Mercury that originated from George T LODER and Elizabeth YEOMANS.

July 26, 1887.
To the Editor of the Maitland Mercury.
"Sir - I observe that my letter to you on the subject of the discovery of Patrick's Plains has called forth, - first, a reply from Mr G T LODER, and secondly, from Mrs E YEOMANS. Both of whom seem to think I have been misinformed on the subject, and as I have good reason to believe that the information which I conveyed was perfectly correct, I beg that you will again allow me space in your valuable columns to make reply. Now, as Mr LODER was the first to take exception to what I had written, I purpose to deal with him first. In confirmation of his information he has sent you various extracts on the subject from the journal of the late Mr John HOWE, but strange to say, he has not given one date; and not a word is said about the journey from the point at which the party crossed the branch at TURNBULL's farm, till they reached a point some forty miles further on, namely, "Puttee". The extract then states that they were unable to proceed further, on account of the numerous lagoons and creeks in the way. Now although I have travelled the road many times, (and my first trip dates back as far as 1826), I have never seen anything in the shape of creeks or lagoons to impede my progress. I have travelled the road in company with two of the party who first found it, namely, the late Messrs G LODER and T DARGAN (sic), and although we often conversed on the subject, I have never heard of either of them state that they met with any such difficulties, or that they went by any other but that known as the Bulga. I am not therefore much inclined to place much confidence in what is supposed to be Mr HOWE's journal. The information I afforded you in my last was collected from the late Mr Phillip THORLEY just about a year before his decease, and as that gentleman was noted for his sterling truth and integrity, I do not see why I should doubt that which he told me with his own lips. So much for Mr LODER: now for Mrs YEOMANS".
"The lady states that her father was the first white man who ever set foot upon Patrick Plains, and discovered the grand country that it comprises, but I can tell Mrs YEOMANS that the Government were well aware already of the fertility of the Hunter River valley, and were only endeavouring to find an overland route to it. Regarding any desire on my part to cast a slur upon the memory of the late Mr B SINGLETON on account of his determination to return when his blackfellow told him how close he was to the river, I must state that far from any such thought entering my head, I rather, on the other hand, commend him for his common sense. For undoubtedly, had he gone on with PARR he would never have received any compensation for his discovery (having no appointment in the expedition) and that the honour of the discovery should have been his, had he gone on, has been proved by the fact that PARR failed in finding a road. As to Mrs YEOMANS ignorance of PARR, I must inform her that she has not studied Australian history very closely, or she would know that PARR was a mineralogist in the service of the Government, and that previous to the expedition which I mentioned in my last (of which he was the head), he had been with OXLEY in his exploring excursions in the east. With reference to the Randel PARR of whom Mrs YEOMANS speaks, I may say that I probably knew him as well, if not better than she did. This lady also says that her mother, the wife of the late Mr B SINGLETON, and Mrs Phillip THORLEY were the first white women who set foot on Patrick's Plains. But though her memory is so green, I must yet refresh it by asking her if another white woman by the name of * HOYLE did not accompany them? Mrs YEOMANS also states that her father was the leader of the expedition, who found the track over the Bulga; but if such was the case it is singular that the Government in granting members of the party compensation awarded Mr SINGLETON only 200 acres, and Mr HOWE 700 acres. Another significant fact regarding this matter is that not one place along the route bears the name SINGLETON, while no less than three were named after Mr HOWE - namely Howe's Waterhole, Howe's Valley, and Howe's Mountain - all of which names have been retained to the present day. In my opinion, it is evident that Mr HOWE was the leader of the party, though Mr SINGLETON, no doubt, rendered valuable assistance as a guide".

"In conclusion, I may state that I have no wish to enter a controversy on the subject, but I am fully convinced that neither * Mr HOWE nor Mr SINGLETON ever stood on Patrick's Plains till they did so together when they crossed the Bulga in the expedition mentioned in my last". (* The date given by William in his prior letter was 1818. Ed.).

"Apologising for again trespassing upon your space - I am, etc.,"

W G M'ALPIN.
Glen Alpin, Bulga, 26th July, 1887.

* In a published answer (Maitland Mercury) to William G McALPIN's question about the woman named HOYLE, Elizabeth YEOMANS replied:-
"She was the wife of the man who brought Mr H BALDWIN's sheep over. She was a nurse, and came to attend my mother at the birth of a ** son in January 1823 and she returned with her husband shortly after.

** This son would have been John SINGLETON who married in 1844 Jane Ann ROTTON and died of dysentery in 1849 whence returning to NSW from the Californian Gold Fields. (according to our other records John SINGLETON died at sea during the voyage to the Californian Gold Fields !!!). The later would be correct as John SINGLETON & Jane Ann ROTTON had 3 daughters born between 1845 and 1850.


PIONEERS.
Now, at this time their shadows fall
Across the intervening years,
Bringing remembrance that stirs
The blood; let memory call
Back, back from out the shadowy past These men who tilled the virgin soil,
Blazoned new trails; by dint of toil
Gave us our heritage, so that at last
We who follow on may reap
The harvest sown by those who gave
E'en of life's blood; yet, o'er their graves
Do monumental stones that mark their sleep
Give greater tribute than this land,
Primeval yet-but for their hands.
-Thomas Wentworth.
janilye©

The Voyage
When the first HEATHER's had settled at Chislehurst, the civil war had been raging in England, with Charles I and the Royalists battling against Cromwell and the Roundheads. By the time the fourth Robert Heather died in 1780, a hundred and forty years had passed. The Commonwealth had come and gone. The restoration which followed had seen the return of the Stuarts who in turn gave way to the House of Hanover. Wars had been fought in Europe and America and the American war of independence was currently in progress. Times had changed and people tended to travel more.

Thomas HEATHER reached adulthood and found employment as a labourer at Chilsehurst, the birthplace of three of his forefathers.

We do not know when or where Robert & Thomas's mother Elizabeth died, but if she was alive in 1787 she must have been appalled by the events which overtook the family. Younger son Thomas, then twenty three years of age and working at Chislehurst, was arrested in October 1787 & held in goal to answer a charge of having robbed a man of money and possessions. Five months later, on 17 March 1788, when the home circuit held it's next sitting at Maidstone, Thomas HEATHER appeared before the judge & jury. He defended himself as well as he was able without the assistance of any legal adviser, but was found guilty of the charges of having robbed one George COTTON of a silver watch and fifty shillings in a field near the Kings highway. He was sentenced to be hanged. On 18 April 1788 the Justices of the Assizes at Whitehall in London reviewed the sentences of the Home Circuit, and Thomas HEATHER was one of those who had their death sentences commuted to fourteen years transportation to a penal settlement beyond the seas.

Thomas spent the first two years of his sentence in goals in England. The first 14 months were probably spent in goal at Maidstone, where most Kent convicts were confined.

In May 1789, Thomas was moved from Maidstone goal to one of the hulks on the Thames river near Gravesend. These hulks were derelict ships tied up in the river to house prisoners who toiled in the nearby dockyards. About mid November, he was transferred to the ship NEPTUNE , the transport ship aboard which he was to make the voyage to New South Wales.

The ship "Neptune" was a vessel of 809 tons which had been built on the Thames in 1779. It was a three-masted, square rigged wooden ship, and was twice as large as any previous convict transport. On 14 November 1789, it left it's anchorage at Longreach and moved down the Thames to Gravesend. Three days later, with it's consignment of convicts on board it sailed for The Downs, the roadstead about five miles North-East of Dover. The part of the ship set up as the Convict's prison was the Orlop deck, the lowest on the vessel, well below waterline, so they had no portholes, no view of the outside world, and very poor ventilation.

There were four rows of one-storey high cabins, each about four feet square, two rows being on each side of the ship from the mainmast forwards, and two shorter rows amidships. Into these cabins no fewer than 424 male and 78 female convicts were crowded.

The appalling conditions under which these convicts were forced to live can be better appreciated when it is remembered that, immediately they had come on board, all convicts had been placed in leg-irons and these were not removed throughout the entire voyage. Into each of these tiny cabins were crowded four to six persons, chained in pairs.

Chained below, Thomas HEATHER would not have been able to take in the scenery as the ship "Neptune" had moved out of the Thames and come to anchor at The Downs, there to spend four days while stores and equipment were taken of board. Then anchors were weighed and the vessel left for Plymouth, a slow voyage which took six days after the ship overshot that port and the error wasn't detected until she was off The Lizard, from where a retreat was made back up The Channel. At Plymouth a series of disputes arose, involving the military, the contractors and the captain of the ship "Neptune". Amongst the military was Captain John MACARTHUR who was on his way out to the Colony for duty there. Accompanying him was his wife, Elizabeth, who kept a diary of events during the voyage. A feature of the dispute was a formal duel between MACARTHUR and Captain GILBERT of the ship "Neptune". As a result of the duel Captain GILBERT was replaced by Captain TRAILL, of whom Mrs MACARTHUR wrote prophetically that "His character was of a much blacker dye than was even in Mr GILBERT's nature to exhibit".

The ship "Neptune" stayed at Plymouth until 10 December and then sailed back along the coast to Portsmouth where it anchored in Stoke's Bay on the 13th. There she met up with two other vessels of the Second Fleet, the "Surprize" and the "Scarborough". The convicts endured the cold weather for twenty-four days before the West winds abated and allowed her to sail on 5 January 1790. She anchored at Spithead until the 8th, but then the winds proved "Faithless" and the vessel arrived back at Mother Bank on the 15th.

At last, on Sunday 17 January 1790, more than two months after leaving The Thames, the ship "Neptune" left Portsmouth and moved down the English Channel. In chains below, Thomas HEATHER would not have had the opportunity to gaze for one last time upon the land of his birth. The voyage was really under way and the convicts became well aware of this fact two days later when they crossed the Bay of Biscay. The sea was so rough that Mrs MACARTHUR recorded in her diary, "It could not be persuaded that the ship could possibly long resist the violence of the sea which was mountain high".

After a month or so the MACARTHUR's succeeded in being transferred to the ship "Scarborough" after they had had a series of disputes withe John's superior, Captain NEPEAN. Captain TRAILL might have been relieved to see them go. The voyage was nothing new to Donald TRAILL. He had been First Mate on the ship "Lady Penrhyn", one of the transports of the First Fleet. Apparently he had learned a few tricks from his earlier experiences.

Historical records indicate clearly that he deliberately starved the convicts on the ship "Neptune" so that he could draw extra rations for himself, and in addition, enrich himself by disposing of surplus rations on the foreign market at ports of call. One convict wrote later to his parents, "we were chained two and two together and confined in the hold during the whole course of our long voyage, without as much as one refreshing breeze to fan our langous cheeks. In this melancholy situation we were scarcely allowed a sufficient quantity of victuals to keep us alive, and scarcely any water".

Sickness was prevalent right from the beginning of the voyage. Heavily ironed and without adequate access to fresh air and sunlight; inadequately fed and without sufficient bedding for warmth at night, the convicts soon began to succumb to the ordeal of their conditions. By the time the ordeal of the cold weather was over they found that they were faced with another which was just as trying - the heat and humidity of the tropics as the ship "Neptune" crossed the Equator and continued south down the coast of Africa. By the time The Cape of Good Hope was reached after 87 days, no fewer than 46 of the convicts had died. Anchoring in False Bay at Capetown on 14 April, the ship "Neptune" stayed for fifteen days, taking on board food, water, a large number of cattle, sheep and pigs, and also twelve convicts from the ill-fated ship "Guardian".

The HMS "Guardian" had been dispatched with supplies for the infant colony of New South Wales in response to an urgent plea sent home by Governor PHILIP with the last returning vessel of the First Fleet. Unfortunately, after the ship "Guardian" had left Capetown on its voyage eastwards, the skipper, Lieutenant RIOU, had taken it too far to the south in his quest for the Roaring Forties, and the ship had run into an iceberg. Two months later RIOU had brought his crippled vessel back into the port at Capetown. The mishap had played a large part in the food shortages which Sydney Town suffered in 1790.

After its stay at Capetown, the ship "Neptune" departed on 29 April to commence its run across to Van Diemen's Land. The existence of the strait we now know as Bass Strait was unknown at that time, so all vessels heading out to Sydney Town via Cape of Good Hope sailed around the south of Van Diemen's Land. More deaths occurred amongst the convicts on board during this leg of the voyage, and while the ship "Neptune" beat its way up the east coast of New South Wales. By the time the ship made its way up Sydney Harbour and dropped anchor in Sydney Cove on 28 June 1790, it had built up the worst record of all convict ships of all time. In all it had lost 147 male and 11 female convicts, and upon its arrival landed 269 others who were sick.

Into Sydney Cove on the same day as the ship "Neptune" arrived, came also the ship "Scarborough". The ship "Surprize" had arrived two days previously. Fortunately the convicts on those ships had fared much better than had the unfortunate souls on the ship "Neptune". The arrival of the Second Fleet was a source of interest for those already in the colony, and many were attracted to the shore to take in the scene. What they observed as the prisoners disembarked was a shocking spectacle. Great numbers of those who came off the ship "Neptune" were not able to walk, or even move a hand of foot. These were slung over the ship's side in the same manner as a box would be slung over. Some fainted as soon as they came out into the open air. Some dropped dead on the deck, while others died in the boat before they reached the shore. Once on the shore some could not stand or walk, or even stir themselves. Some were lead by others and some crept upon hands and knees. All were shockingly filthy, with their heads, bodies, clothes and blankets full of filth and lice.

Somewhere amongst those who came ashore was Thomas HEATHER. It was a scene which he undoubtedly remembered for the remainder of his life. Whether he was one of the sick we do not know, but if he was he soon recovered. He had arrived in a settlement which was so short of food that the hours of public work had recently been shortened, and even the soldiers had pleaded loss of strength. Amongst those who witnessed the shocking spectacle down at the shore that day was Governor PHILIP himself. Not surprisingly, he ordered that an inquiry be held into the conditions on the ship "Neptune".

Thomas HEATHER arrived in the colony when the settlement at Sydney was 2 years old. A second settlement was also being developed on a tract of land at the head of the harbour, and ground prepared for sowing corn. The farm so established became known as Rose Hill. By June 1790 Rose Hill had a population of 200, and in the following month a town was laid out there under the Governors instructions. During that first year that Thomas spent in the colony, many convicts were transferred from Sydney to Rose Hill. It is most likely that Thomas was one of those at the new town before 1790 was out.

The following, is a letter published in the London Morning Chronicle on the 4 August 1791 from a female convict at Sydney Cove, dated 24 July 1790.

"Oh! If you had but seen the shocking sight of the poor creatures that came out in the three ships it would make your heart bleed.
They were almost dead, very few could stand, and they were obliged to fling them as you would goods, and hoist them out of the ships, they were so feeble; and they died ten or twelve a day when they first landed.
The Governor was very angry, and scolded the captains a great deal, and, I heard, intended to write to London about it, for I heard him say it was murdering them. It, to be sure, was a melancholy sight.."


Convict Women on the Neptune
Ships of the Second Fleet

Souces;
A History of THE EATHER FAMILY:
Thomas EATHER and Elizabeth LEE
by John St PIERRE
for the EATHER Family history committee.
The Women of Botany Bay, by Portia Robinson
Australia's Second Fleet - 1790 by Jenny French
janilye
The children of Thomas and Elizabeth LEE :-

1. Ann EATHER 1793 – 1865
2. Robert EATHER 1795 – 1881
3. Charlotte EATHER 1797 – 1862
4. Charles EATHER 1800 – 1891
5' Thomas EATHER 1800 – 1886
6. John EATHER 1804 – 1888
7. Rachel EATHER 1807 – 1875
8. James EATHER 1811 – 1899

Joseph Onus was born in 1782 to Thomas Honess and Sarah (nee Field) at Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey (Thames Estuary), Kent and died at Richmond NSW on 22 June1835. He is buried at St Peters, Richmond.

Joseph was a labourer aged 19 and living at Sheerness, when, early in 1801, he was arrested. At the Lent Assizes on 16 March 1801, he was tried before Judge Baron Hotham and jury, on the charge of having stolen naval stores to the value of 5 pounds 17 shillings and 11 pence. He was sentenced to be hanged by the neck until he was dead.

He was obviously granted a reprieve, duly arriving in Sydney on the "Glatton" on 11 March 1803.
On 11 March 1810 he married Ann Eather 1793-1865 and had a family of six children.
He began his farming career with 25 acres on the river flats near Richmond. He rapidly prospered, and in about 1820, he built the fine two-storied house - now called the 'farmhouse - on the north side of Francis St, Richmond.

In the early 1820's his interests spread to the Hunter Valley, and in some of his ventures he worked in partnership with his wife's brother-in-law, Robert Williams. In December 1823, he sought a pass for 40 head of cattle of this partnership to go from the Hawkesbury to Benjamin Singleton's property on the Hunter River and from there selected land on the Woolombi Brook. On 12 August 1825, Joseoph Onus received Grant No. 225 of 1550 acres of riverflat land at Bulga. Williams was also granted 1000 acres adjacent. In 1826 the partners took cattle over the Liverpool Ranges establishing the property Boorambil on Onus Creek, a tributary of the Mooki River.

In 1832, they were forced off Boorambil when the famous Australian Agricultural Company was granted 600,000 acres of prime land. They were forced to move their stock onwards.

He took up several 'runs' particularly at Wollombi and in the Hunter Valley.

Thomas Eather, assisted by Joseph Onus's head stockman, John Bazley, is understood to have taken up three runs on thr Namoi River in 1833, namely, 'Hendriendi" for himself and brothers Charles and Robert; "Boggabri" for his brother-in-law, Robert Williams; and "Theribry" for another brother-in-law, Joseph Onus.


From The Eather Newsletter March 2001 No 152 Editorial. Editor Mildred Reynolds.
The following newspaper snippet reveals that Joseph Onus and the three men he was convicted with, spent about ten weeks in Maidstone Goal, and in Joseph's case, around 15 months on a hulk in Woolwich before being transported to New South Wales.

5th June 1801: "Early on Saturday morning the following convicts were conveyed by Mr Watson from Maidstone Goal under strong guard to Woolwich, and there put on board a hulk to remain till a vessel is prepared for their transportation to New South Wales." (Kentish Gazette)

The newspaper listed 25 convicts. Four of these men were - Joseph Oness, Jacob Inness, Joshua Appleton and Thomas Gibbons. (Joseph's name also appeared in the ship's indent of convicts as Joseph Onness.)

Joseph Onus was tried on the 16th March 1801, was transported to the colony on the "Glatton," which sailed from England on the 23rd September 1802. He arrived at Port Jackson on 11th March 1803.

Maidstone Goal was also the prison, which housed the pioneer, Thomas Heather/Eather.

***
From Eather Family Newsletter dated December 2002. Editor Mildred J Reynolds.
Police District of Wee Waa - Namoi District, 16th November 1854
Cattle brands supposed to have been stolen therefrom, October last.
Mr Joseph Onus - cattle on Murran Creek Station.
JO near rump, 22 near shoulder, top off near ear.
WS near rump, 7 on near shoulder, with a hole in near ear.
TO near shoulder, 22near rump, TO on near rump and 6 near shoulder
70 pounds reward to prosecute to conviction.

The above information obtained from the Victoria Police Gazette by the editor, shows that in 1854, Joseph Onus Junior was at (or also at) Murran Creek Station. The cattle branded WS would have belonged to William Sharp - his mother's second husband and the TO would have belonged to his brother, Thomas Onus, who at that time was married to Elizabeth Eather - a daughter of Thomas Eather Junior and his wife Sarah (nee McAlpin).


Joseph Onus b:1782 in Sheerness, Kent d:22 June 1835 Richmond New South Wales
Son of Thomas Honess b:1750 and Sarah Field b:1756
Married Ann Elizabeth Eather 1793-1865 at Windsor, New South Wales, on the 11 March 1810

Produced 6 children:-

1. Elizabeth Onus b: 1 January 1811 Windsor, NSW d:23 August 1882 Richmond, NSW m. John Gordon TOWN 1806-1883 on the 17 June 1830 at Windsor. The children of this marriage were:-
John Thomas Town 1831–1889 Elizabeth Jessie Town 1833–1908
William Barker Town 1836–1838 William Gordon Town 1838–1858
Mary Ann Town 1842 – 1846
---
2. Mary Ann ONUS b:14 August 1813 Windsor, NSW d:19 March 1887 Maryborough, Queensland. m. John EATON 1811-1804 at Windsor on 17 January 1831. The children of this marriage were:-

Mary M Eaton 1831 – 1831
Charlotta Eaton 1844 – 1923
Baby Eaton 1846 – 1846
William Eaton 1847 – 1887
Caroline Eaton 1850 – 1850
Euphemia Eaton 1854 – 1939
Veronica Eaton 1854 – 1942
---

3. Susannah ONUS b:28 October 1815 Cornwallis, NSW d: 12 August 1882, 'Glen Alpin' Bulga, NSW. m.William Glas MCALPIN 1810-1902 on the 1 February 1833 at Christ Church, Castlereagh, NSW.
The children of this marriage were:-
Elizabeth McAlpin 1833 – 1835
Ann McAlpin 1836 – 1838
Peter McAlpin 1838 – 1838
William McAlpin 1840 – 1923
Susannah McAlpin 1842 – 1882
Sarah McAlpin 1845 – 1922
Joseph McAlpin 1849 – 1913
Mary McAlpin 1852 – 1915
---

4. Joseph ONUS b: 2 May 1818 Richmond, NSW and died 3 December 1895 Richmond, NSW. m.(1) Emma POWELL 1819-1865 on the 13 June 1837 at Richmond. The children of this marriage were:-
Mary Ann ONUS 1838 – 1861
Joseph Edward ONUS 1840 – 1891
Emma Susannah ONUS 1843 – 1931
Joseph Tertius ONUS 1844 – 1928
Laura Australia ONUS 1854 – 1855
(2) Clara HUNT 1820-?? on the 28 May 1867at Richmond had one child Linda ONUS 1869 – 1894
Joseph also had a relationship with Margaret SILK 1824-1884 she had one child to ONUS. Maria Emma SILK 1841 – 1883
---

5. Thomas ONUS b:29 April 1820 Richmond, NSW and died 28 March 1855 at Richmond, NSW. m. Elizabeth EATHER 1825-1884 on 22 August 1842 at St.Andrews Presbyterian, Windsor, NSW. The children of this marriage were:-
Ann Onus 1842 – 1905
Sarah Onus 1845 – 1910
Susannah Onus 1847 – 1935
Thomas Alexander Onus 1849 – 1934
Matilda J Onus 1852 – 1853
Elizabeth A Onus 1854 – 1855

Before his marriage Thomas ONUS had a relationship with Eliza JAMES 1819-1862 which produced a daughter Ann ONUS in 1841 hence his marriage in the Presbyterian Church after Rev. Henry STILES of the Church of England refused to marry him.
---

6. William ONUS b: 3 September 1822, Richmond, NSW and died on 8 May 1855 at Richmond, NSW. m. Ann HOUGH 1822-1889 the daughter of Peter HOUGH 1776-1833 on 1 March 1882 at Richmond, NSW.
The children of this marriage were:-
Joseph Onus 1844 – 1928
Elizabeth Onus 1848 – 1892
Emily A. Onus 1851 – 1907
Andrew Onus 1853 – ??
---


Credit for some of the above belongs to the Eather Family Newsletter of January 1976 and September 1998.